JR Valrey and Holly Works, the last two of the Oakland 100 – the people arrested during the rebellions following the police murder of Oscar Grant last year – are still facing charges, and must raise legal defense funds for their imminent trials. JR’s trial starts next Monday, Feb. 22, and Holly’s starts the following Monday, March 1. Both will be held in department 11, 8:30am, 1225 Fallon St (@12th), Oakland. Supporters are organizing to make sure there is a community presence in the courtroom, and are calling out to all who are able to come to the trials. Each trial is expected to last a few days long.

In January 2009, over 150 people were arrested because of demonstrations over the police killing of Oscar Grant III. After over a year two arrestees are being tried on bogus felony charges. JR Valrey, P.O.C.C. Minister of Information (http://www.blockreportradio.com) is being brought up on a charge of felony arson and is facing a sentence of 3 years in prison. Holly Works is being brought up on a charge of felony assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and is facing a sentence of 6 years.

Criminalization of youth and people of color by police agencies led to the killing of Oscar Grant by BART cop Johanes Mehserle. The Oakland Rebellions were a reaction not only to the fatal shooting of Oscar Grant, but to racist, classist, ageist, and generally corrupt tendencies of bay area police agencies.

Don't let these tendencies of criminalization and corruption further target those in the community who stand up or speak out against police violence! While the judge overseeing the trial of Johanes Mehserle has threatened to draw out the case for as many as five years, the state is coming down hard and fast on protesters. Come out to court and stand beside these scapegoats for the rebellions, which everyone knows were what forced the hand of officials to hold killer cop Mehserle accountable for what he did.

SUPPORT THE OAKLAND 100: If you would like to organize a benefit screening for those who have faced heavy fines related to felony charges from the January Rebellions, please get in contact with us at oakland100(at)gmail.com.